With cooler weather fast approaching, the time to winterize your A/C unit has come. By taking care of your air conditioner, it will help take care of you during the next sweltering summer. With a few safeguards in place, you can ensure that your A/C will be protected from the elements this fall and winter.
Here are a few tips to help protect your air conditioner and prolong its life this year:
First, begin by turning off all power to the unit. Next, start cleaning the interior components of the outdoor condenser and clear it of all debris. Make sure to wash it and try to make it look as bright and shiny as it did on the day the fine technicians of B.R. McGinty installed it.
Caution: High pressure washers can potentially damage the unit, so use very low pressure. If using a hose or pressure washer, make sure the unit is dry before continuing.
Next, clean the area surrounding the unit. The goal would be for the area around the unit to look nice and clean so that no other particles or debris can get inside of it during the fall and winter and potentially cause problems down the road. After the area around your air conditioning unit is cleaned, it’s time to tuck it in until the weather starts warming up again.
When choosing a wrap for your A/C, make sure that you pick a breathable, waterproof cover for your air conditioning unit. You can use a combination of plastic tarps, duct tape, and bungee cords, but there are also covers made specially for air conditioning units available as well. Make sure that your unit is covered entirely so that water and snow can’t get in.
Lastly, seal off any external vents that could lead to a cold draft bursting into your home.
If you have any questions about winterizing your air conditioning unit or are in need of a furnace inspection (it’s that time of year too!), contact BR McGinty online or by calling 501-847-6800. We’re on-call 24 hours a day!